When better cars are built, Buick will build them. Meanwhile, they’re building CUV’s. Huh? An automotive brand whose lack of identity has kept it on life support for well over a decade wants a piece of a vehicular genre that’s a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and nothing in particular. GM’s willingness– make that “eagerness”– to throw Buick a CUV-shaped, badge-engineered bone demonstrates the corporate mothership’s abject and ongoing inability to devise a coherent plan to resuscitate its “damaged” (i.e. terminal) Buick brand. What is it with these guys?
Anyway, calling a vehicle of the Enclave’s epic dimensions a crossover forces us to expand the genre’s definition from “cute ute” to “the bastard child of a minivan and a full-sized SUV.” That said, Buick's CUV on steroids is a surprisingly graceful design. Well-judged chrome accents abound, from the door trim to the blinged-out wheels. The premium paint job is worth the extra cash; a pearl-coated Enclave’s spizzarkle will make Cadillac owners scowl into their prune juice.
The purpose of these porky proportions lies within. Much like Danielewski’s house of blue, the Enclave is bigger on the inside than on the outside. Sliding second row seats can provide as much or as little rear space as needed, depending on the degree of family bonding desired. Optional middle-row bench seats up the capacity to eight, for maximum character building. And accoutrements abound, giving backseat drivers their choices of entertainment and environmental controls.
Though I applaud GM’s brave decision to hire the blind to color-match the Enclave’s interior, the model’s beige leather, floor and ceiling clash with the ashy brown door trim; which is irritatingly beset with medium-shaded wood accents. The plastics are alternately hard and soft– softer where contact is inevitable and harder where only masochists dare to tread (especially after initial, revulsion-inducing contact).
Brushed metal trim on the door handles add (ADD?) to the boggle factor. The dash provides a similar lack of coherence; chrome strips and an analog clock top off the WTF factor. Wood also makes a guest appearance on the steering wheel, playing the role of the suave but untrustworthy stranger. Note to Buick: wood or metal, pick a side.
The number of dashboard controls never reaches the sheer distraction level of an MDX, but it’s not for lack of trying. After a brief tussle with the Enclave’s electronic seating controls, during which the memory function attempted to crush my kneecaps, we were on the road.
After driving a selection of super-sized SUVs, I squared off for battle with yon steering wheel, only to find it surprisingly light and responsive. The closet enthusiast may be disgusted by the lack of road feel and steering feedback, but then, they’re not likely to purchase something of these epic proportions. The average luxobarge driver will appreciate the Enclave's easy, quick steering and wonderfully cushy suspension.
In fact, you can easily forget you’re piloting a 2.5 ton vehicle– until you attempt brisk acceleration. With its V6 kicking-out 275hp and 251 ft.-lbs. of torque, the Enclave literally lags behind its natural rivals. Zero to sixty takes 8.4 seconds; the Acura MDX gets the job done in 7.2 and the Mazda CX-9 arrives in 7.5.
The Enclave’s six-speed automatic transmission is a step ahead of standard GM fare, but the gearbox serves-up early upshifts and late downshifts, with a heavy side of throttle lag. You can take matters into your own hands with shift lever-mounted buttons, but chances are you won’t.
The Enclave comes complete with airbags for all and the usual alphabet stew of safety equipment: ABS, TPMS, ESC and Anti-Rollover Logic (if your common sense fails). Nav-equipped vehicles offer a rear view camera, a handy option in a car with this much bounteous booty.
The $33k-ish (and up) front wheel-drive Enclave offers a considerable amount of value for driver who can appreciate the subtle luxuries within. Actually, “near luxury” pretty much nails it. For significantly less money than its foreign luxury competitors, you can buy a Buick Enclave and pretend you’re driving a mid- to large-sized luxury SUV– without the handling, performance or reputation.
Alternatively, for a few thousand dollars less, you can buy either one of the Enclave’s non-identical twins: the Saturn Outlook or GMC Acadia. Or wait for the Chevy version. Or just wonder why GM builds better Buicks in China, and then sells four versions of the same CUV in America, reserving the best looking one for their doomed division, without giving it a proper V8 to distinguish it from its automotive homonyms.
123 Comments on “2007 Buick Enclave Review...”
Back to TopLeave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You can also login using Facebook Connect.
Indeed. GM’s rolling clusterf**k of badge engineering strikes again. Late to the party once again so they bring 4 average dates instead of one decent one.
This is why I belive that GM sells price, not product. Too many machines too move accross too many brands means discounts and rebates.
When I sold cars for a living for Nissan I’d be able to take a few bucks off MSRP for people and the nearest GM dealer would take $5000 off. It’s not about the product at GM.
This Buick will be continuing proof of the “We sell Price not product” way of doing things.
The strangest thing here is that a Pontiac/Buick/GMC dealer has two versions of this vehicle, yet Chevy doesn’t get one.
Saturn is also finding out that no-haggle pricing doesn’t work on a thirty thousand dollar GM vehicle.
guys you probably shouldn`t be bashing enclave that much. being 2.5 tons it can have fwd, for it won`t have torque steer anyway, because the power is not so big . and i believe they will add v8 later. a awd should be added. enclave is a way forward. at least it has some distinctive sheetmetal. as far as i have seen fit and finish is also good.they need to add v8, awd, led taillights,and a sunroof from g6.
jurisb:
There is an English expression: first impressions last. And another: start as you mean to finish.
Even if we accept the idea that GM will eventually sort out the Enclave's deficiencies, by the time they do so, the ship will have already sailed. And the competition will move even further ahead.
Geotpf: As the article states, the Chevy version is coming.
I think its time to recognize there can actually be two classes of automobile transportation: sport and touring.
Touring requires interior space and comfort combined with visibility. Sport, well you all know it well and from the list of 10 best cars sport is what most of the readers here like, want and demand.
This Buick looks to me like a great touring vehicle and one that has a lot going for it especially when transporting other people. We can't all have the luxury of moving from place to place in our two or four seat sports tuned semi-racing vehicles and sometimes we just want to travel first class, you know with some extra space in the cabin instead of coach.
I saw one of these at a recent car show and thought it was a very nice automobile and think it will satisfy many who want a nice touring automobile that is priced within reason. I know some of us have the means to be extravagant and I think that is great, however don't forget the majority still has to make a house payment, buy groceries, clothes for the kids and make a car payment.
I applaud GM for bringing out this design which will meet the needs of many. While you may want a V-8, I think they should work on getting a diesel that would get better mileage for this vehicle.
And that's the truth.
Just think your one of gm’s newly reformulated dealers of gmc pontiac, buick. You now have 40k inventory of gmc acadias and nearly identical new buick suv’s to clog up your inventory. Pick a winner gm your don’t need all this badge engineering.
I am really suprised that this vehicle came out without AWD. This genre still mystifies me. All the heft, dynamics, performance, cost, and fuel economy of an SUV with none of the towing capacity or ladder frame battering ram. Why not just stick with the more profitable and capable SUVs?
“Robert Farago:
May 24th, 2007 at 6:47 am
jurisb:
There is an English expression: first impressions last. And another: start as you mean to finish.”
Is that the lesson of Toyota and Honda? ;)
Incremental improvements can work, it’s just that our domestics don’t have the attention span.
And personally I think the interior looks great in the photo above.
I also think it’s funny when 8.2 0-60 is considered slow (for a truck!!). I still remember when NA porsches were above 6.5 seconds 0-60 and we considered them rockets!
Gray door and dash trim with tan seats and carpet? Sounds like my wife’s new Land Cruiser down to the gray floor mats on the tan carpet. Buick must have hired the blind dude from Toyota.
I like the look of the Buick. Aluminum v8 would be nice.
Megan,
I don’t think you fully credit Buick for what is special about the Enclave. First of all, it is a near luxury vehicle. It costs less than a luxury crossover, and it delivers less in terms of sportiness. Would you drive an Acura TL and criticize it for not having a V8 like an E550 or M45?
That said, this platfrom is unique in that it delivers an actual 3 rows of decent seating with access to the third row. No other vehicle that is not a minivan comes close for a family of 3+ kids. Look at the MDX’s marketing materials — they call it a 4+3 for a reason.
Buick will sell a lot of these, because they are good vehicles occupying a unique niche.
Buick will sell a lot of these, because they are good vehicles occupying a unique niche.
Regardless of how good they are, they won’t sell because it’s a Buick. How do you get people into a Buick showroom?
Enclave’s EPA 16/24 rating is by 2008 method, identical to the new Saturn Vue with the 3.6/AWD setup.
GM’s recent CUV’s are porkier than the competition. Lambda is 4700lbs+, New Vue is 3800-4300lbs. By comparison, the much maligned Ford Freestyle is in the 4000-4100lb range.
Danielewski the filmmaker, the author, or the musician(POE)? I’m not sure I get the reference.
I like Buicks, even tho my dad had one that died after only about 70K miles. Yes they are soft and cushy, no road feel, numb steering, cushy ride, but those are all good things if you want to take a trip in your living room. Which I like to do occasionally. Perfect for sliding down the interstate.
Having said that, I cannot imagine anyone who can count who would buy a car that gets 16 mpg these days. Is all that luxury worth mortgaging the house for? Or will it be a moored motor boat, unable to go anywhere because there is not enough money for gas?
And there are those here who want a V8? Even worse gas milage? Gimme a break. People who buy Buicks do not care about stop light olympics. They want comfort. And if I am not mistaken, good gas economy. GM should concentrate on that.
for a few thousand dollars less, you can buy either one of the Enclave’s non-identical twins: the Saturn Outlook or GMC Acadia. Or wait for the Chevy version.
Or just wait until there are a few of these used quints out there and watch the poor-resale-factor kick in.
I would have to agree with some of the other comments here, What’s the point? If the intention for a CUV is to be a more care-like, economical SUV, but this totally misses the mark. And how many Buick drivers need to transport 8 people?
Further, IMO the Acadia is the best looking in the line-up. So what draws someone into a Buick dealership instead of the other badge-engineered siblings.
For once, I have to agree with Jurisb (who'd a thunk it?).
I know it's fashionalble to bash GM but I think they have done a good job with this vehicle. Is it perfect? Nope. Will it save the company? Nope. But we've all agreed that no single vehcile will. But if they keep coming out with product like this that meets or beats the competition they have a chance (like a snowball).
The Enclave is stylish. Fit and finish look good. It's got room. It handles well (because the only thing that is the same size IS in fact a real truck). It's a lot of car for the money (good value). I've not seen one yet but all the pics I've looked at of the interior look quite good. It has it's own niche (CUV in a big SUV world).
Now the bad: it's way too heavy, and therefore doesn't get good MPG. I don't look at it as badge engineering. I look at the Acadia as badge engineering (Why?). They should make a value model for Chevy, The Euro chic for Saturn, and this, as another commenter said, a touring vehicle. Would a small V8 be nice? Yeah, but with gas prices climbing how long would it be till we were bashing GM for doing that?
I’m just hung up on the wood AND metal choice. Did they not get that memo? Wood is traditional luxury and metal is modern/sporty luxury. Never the twain shall meet (that don’t impress me much).
I may be suffering from hay-fever induced stupidity today, but what’s with the naff name?
enclave [n] an enclosed territory that is culturally distinct from the foreign territory that surrounds it.
What’s the cultural distinction here? Where’s the foreign territory? Perhaps Buick is implying this CUV is something special in a sea of mediocrity? Or was it the other way around?
windswords:
It handles well (because the only thing that is the same size IS in fact a real truck)
Unless you’re going to tow >3500lbs or go off-roading regularly, the Honda Odyssey (and Toyota Sienna, albeit lighter) isawfully close in length/width/weight, also carries 7/8 and has more interior cargo space due to location of the spare tire not being under the back of the vehicle.
The V6 vs. V8 debate goes straight to the heart of the matter: branding.
As Paul Neidermeyer's excellent series has proven (Oldsmobile today, Buick tomorrow), Buick can't be all things to all people. But it should differentiate its products from those of Saturn, Chevy, Saab and GMC (to say nothing of Lexus, BMW, Infiniti, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, etc.).
Let's say Buick got the style right with the Enclave. So what? Is it it enough to overcome the threat of badge-engineered cannibalism? I don't think so.
A V8 engine would have given potential customers a reason to go for the Buick rather than the Saturn, GMC and Chevy versions. AND it would have helped the brand return to its "pace with grace" (I'm stealing from Jag here, but there you go) brand proposition.
Bottom line: when you know what your brand is about, every design, engineering, sales and marketing decision becomes no-brainer. V8? Of course. Rear wheel or all wheel-drive? Yup. Plastics upgrade? Are you kidding?
When a brand doesn't stand for anything in particular, self-defeating chaos is inevitable. The Enclave may be a great vehicle, but is it a Buick? What' s one of them anyway?
As a satisfied Acadia owner (essentially the same vehicle mechanically), I have to say that I think your 1 star ratings for performance and desirability are low.
This is by no means a hoonmobile, but the power and torque are more than sufficient, and the engine makes a nice snarl as it revs. My rating = 3 stars.
As for the desirability, you have to consider this vehicle for what it is. I probably receive at least one compliment a day on the Acadia from owners of other truck style products (minivans, SUVs and pickups), both foreign and domestic.
This vehicle is not desirable in the sports car sense, but it seems to hit the sweet spot with the target market. My desirability rating = 4 stars. I will also say the GM triplets trump the competition in overall space, 3rd seat comfort, and towing capacity (4500 lb), which are considerations for our family.
Otherwise, I agree with your other observations. The Acadia has a more coherent, less ADD interior design than the Enclave. It is also available with AWD (we have one), for those who are disputing this.
Buick is a very damaged and neglected brand. I feel too far gone to rebuild and rebrand. Their customer base are the dwindling remains of Oldsmobile and former Buick owners.
However this is one of the best looking SUVs from GM in a long time. It looks purposeful and a decent and average performer in its class – admirable at best with long term reliability is yet to be proven. However for Buick it is way too little way too late to turn around this brand.
Front wheel drive? That just seems bizarre in this vehicle. Oh well, I kinda dig the interior from the photo. Maybe in person it’s worse.
Robert,
I don’t think Buick owners are all that confused about what a Buick is. It is a reliable, comfortable, quiet, near luxury, domestic car. It could be a midsized sedan, a large sedan, a crossover and some day perhaps a halo coupe.
I think the Enclave will do very well because it replaces the Rendezvous (as well as a nondescript minivan and midsized SUV) which sold reasonably well despite being an Aztek with chrome. There is a real market here for 40- and 50- year olds who want something a bit more comfortable and luxurious than a minivan or Suburban.
As I recall, you own a minivan for times when the Boxster is a bit tight for shlepping around all those girls. Do you not occasionally wish for something a bit more upscale and a bit less mommyvanish?
The Enclave is a good looking vehicle, and it’s aimed at people like my wife, who want three rows but don’t want to drive a minivan. Funny that the minivan originally became popular because people didn’t want to be seen driving station wagons.
That being said, the real problem is that it’s a Buick, and GM will soon have 4 versions of this vehicle out there. How can they really support the marketing needed to get through the din and get recognition for 4 essentially identical vehicles?
Answer: They can’t.
And that’s why the Enclave will fail. It’s a class-competitive vehicle, with very good fit and finish (if the Acadia is any indication), good performance, and decent mileage (let’s face it, you can’t expect good mileage from 2+ tons of steel box-on-wheels), and exceptional room.
Unfortunately, GM is marketing against competitors who only have top support one brand in the market, and GM has to spread the money across 4 nameplates.
Remember the Aura? Won NACOTY, and it’s dying out there because GM can’t support the brand.
GM needs two versions: One for Chevy with V-6 power, and a luxe model for GMC with a choice of V-6 or V-8 power. Buick is a dead brand walkin’, and the soomer GM cuts its losses, the better off they’ll be.
I have to disagree with a lot of comments about “badge engineering” here, the Enclave is not a G5. The sheet metal on the 3 Lambda’s do not seem to share any sheet metal and their interiors are fairly unique.
I agree that Chevrolet should have received a Lambda instead of Saturn, but the Acadia and Enclave are aimed at 2 different demographics, so I don’t see much overlap. In a perfect world GM would have positioned the Lambda’s this way:
Chevrolet – V6/FWD/affordable
GMC – V6 or V8/AWD/mid level
Buick – V8/FWD/luxury
Just curious, when talking about fuel economy, is everyone comparing 2008 EPA ratings? And how does the Enclave compare to minivans and vehicles like the MDX?
Also, how does the 0-60 time in a Enclave compare to a minivan since that is really it’s competition?
I give Buick 5-7 years before they are a “China-only” US brand. Apparently that’s the only place they still retain that upwardly-mobile sense of status that they were supposed to have.
Paul Niedermeyer’s GM Branding series is indeed excellent and I’m learning a lot from it.
SherbornSean:
Funny you should mention it. Just this morning I was thinking how much I’d like to trade the Odyssey for a used S55 AMG. Or, less salaciously, an Land Rover LR3 (I heart the American outback).
And then I thought about the room, comfort, versatility, reliability and practicality of the sliding door van, sighed, and got on with it.
Never once did I even think about GM’s new, jumbo-sized CUV’s. Why would I? What exactly would I gain by making the switch?
I reckon CUV’s are the full-size SUV refugee’s halfway house. Good luck with that. I haven’t driven one, but the Enclave looks like a more-than-merely adequate expression of the genre.
Meanwhile, I still don’t understand what the Enclave has to do with Buick, and vice versa.
I’m with SkiD666. GM has done a remarkable job differentiating the Enclave from the other two. Between the Acadia and Outlook, not as much on the outside, though the interiors are still very different.
Perhaps a counterpoint is in order…
For anyone interested in pricing and such:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/Enclave.php
This vehicle will be a success, as it's the first modern Buick to bring something unique & desireable to the table. Units are flying off dealer lots (@MSRP).
And its not a sportscar.
Wow, in that first picture, it kind of looks like an overgrown PT cruiser. Note to GM: the PT cruiser came out about 6 years ago, and it was never really that great looking. And from the back, it looks like a flying vagina. (a vagina flew past me the other day, so it’s fresh in my memory)
And nice job on the fake wood! Good god, they just can’t friggin’ figure things out. If I was in the market for a CUV, I would never even consider this atrocity. I’d jump at the chance to buy a well designed wagon though. Oh wait, GM doesn’t sell any of those over here. Never mind.
And remember kids, hurry down to your friendly local GM dealer this weekend. 0% financing for anyone with a pulse, and “$1000 bonus cash on select 2006/2007 vehicles”. How can you go wrong?
Great House of Leaves reference! For those of you who haven’t read it, Check out Mark Z Danielewski’s book “House of Leaves”. Its about, among other things, a house thats somehow bigger on the inside than the outside. Not car related, but it will help slightly with the reference in the third paragraph, and its a great read.
Well written review, nice to see a female reviewer as well.
Buick will sell a lot of these, because they are good vehicles occupying a unique niche.
Hmmm, you mean that same massive niche the Chrysler Pacifica was shooting at? There seems to be a whole class of minivans without sliding doors pretending to be something else. Even Mercedes-Benz has one now. Massive porkers pretending to be svelt. If you want a good minivan, just get one!
Stay tuned, this time next year Enclaves will be available with no money down, 0% financing for 10 years or $5,000 off MSRP!
“Also, how does the 0-60 time in a Enclave compare to a minivan since that is really it’s competition?”
Minivans may be what GM hopes to compete against but I think they are competing against their own big SUVs. My guess is that most of the sales are going to come at the expense of Tahoe and Yukon sales. If I replaced my Odyssey with one of these behemoths I would have to raid my 5 year old’s college fund to pay for all of the door dings he’d inflict swinging that giant rear door open.
Robert Farago “I reckon CUV’s are the full-size SUV refugee’s halfway house.”
Thats the true market of these vehicles and the reason they will sell a lot of them and why they won’t save GM. These vehicles will be bought by people migrating from the larger truck based SUVs like GMC Envoy. I don’t think GM makes as much money on these as those old truck based monsters though and I don’t think GM counted on the full size SUV market contracting.
Going to have to disagree with Megan on this one.
The Enclave is a good looking vehicle and is priced well. If you want luxury Mini-van what are your options? Nothing. If you want the next best thing you are looking at an R class benz of at least 40k and up. Keep in mind the Lambda platform is as big as a Tahoe or Odyssey and offer’s a great deal of room.
The Enclave looks attractive, has some nice interior design and is reasonably priced. I’d bet by next model year there will be a V8 with DoD as the range topper. GM said there was room for one when the concept was shown.
Currently from what I have read GM is sold out on Enclaves through June with pre-orders of 6500 units. Seems like they are going to do just fine with this one. And it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if my MIL buys this to replace here mini-van.
They will be retirees and love a large, comfortable vehicle for driving back and forth from Florida and Maryland and this would fit the bill perfectly.
I have a bit of a bone to pick on performance. When buying vehicle like this you don’t consider performance, you just don’t. A one second difference in 0-60 time is meaningless. I’d gladly give up 2-3 seconds 0-60 to get better gas mileage on my wife’s Odyssey. It would still be fine for merging and I’ve never floored the thing anyway.
“An automotive brand whose lack of identity has kept it on life support for well over a decade…”
I have to disagree – I know what Buick stands for – Old Folk! especially in Florida!
Robert,
I definitely hear you on the used S-class. The problem with child carseats is that there are so few vehicles wide enough to put 3 in a row in the back seat, so you are forced into 3 rowed vehicles. And with 99% of the SUV/CUV’s out there that have a nominal third row, entry/exit is so difficult, especially with a carseat in place, that it doesn’t work.
I was looking at the Pacifica over the weekend, which is a joke inside. Yes, it theoretically seats 6, but if 2 of them need carseats, there is no access to the third row, unless you want to spend 5 minutes unlatching and relatching the carseats every time you pick up a kid from school. Useless.
That’s why the American Automotive industry is getting broke. The American Consumer is one of the people responsible for the demise of the American Car Industry.
Steve_S:
I’m going to have to disagree with you disagreeing with Megan.
The Odyssey Touring IS a luxury minivan ($39k msrp). As is the Toyota Sienna Limited ($37k). I’d be hard-pressed to think of any features or toys missing from either vehicle.
As for comparing the Enclave to the Mercedes R-Class, well, the R-Class is dead in the water.
And don’t let early pre-orders, sales results or inventory issues convince you of anything. The Enclave is new-to-market.
The Enclave could well be a limited appeal niche vehicle: once everyone who wants one has one, sales tank.
The jury is out.
The logic applied here must be: We failed with the
TrailblazerRainier due to no fault of our own, so let's try it again with anOutlookEnclave and really give it a serious try by adding chrome. Oops, spent too much on the chrome so we have to axe the AWD.Robert hit the nail on the head when he said it's first impressions that count. Without something other than the skin-deep bling factor to attract buyers (how many Buick grannies are into bling anyway?) what value is Buick bringing to the table?
I could mentally accept the need for three versions of this
travestyCUV if there was some reason for their existence. Saturn: cheap, budget GMC: "sport" utility Buick: luxury & performance. GM seems adept at courting the torque steer gods with their FWD V8s, this should have been served up immediately with a Northstar variant and AWD to tame the unruly demons within. This product will neither differentiate nor resurrect Buick, it's business as usual with a little extra fake wood.Great review Megan! I agree 100%: wood or metal, pick a side and stick to it.
Megan i think you're being a bit harsh on the styling, its not that bad and definately stands out on the road, pretty unique as some people love it and some people dont, the waiting lists (yes there are waiting lists which is only a good thing). And the interior isn't as garish as you make out, its quite refined and american luxuriant. Wouldnt have worked in a jag but a buick yes.
What i would have like to have seen GM do was what Land Rover did with their T5 architecture (LR3 and Range Sport) and allow flexibility to produce variable sized vehicles so that the Buick was smaller, maybe more of a RR sport/FX45 type killer. The Acadia could have been moved up market more, the smaller version would have given you more choice, but still the capacity on the manufacturing side. Why chevy is bringing out their version i dont know. If they're doing that why does saturn need such a vehicle?! Maybe that is down to capacity too or dealer pressure. If they can make this vehicle tow, i cant see the need for the Tahoe etc.
Wow, I didn’t know there was going to be a Chevy version too! How will the Chevy one differentiate from the Saturn, GMC and Buick versions? The other variants each have their unique look, but exterior appearance and mildly different interiors isn’t enough. Where are the variety of engines, drivetrains, towing capacity perhaps, etc? Slap in a few diesel engine options, shed some massive weight, give it some real relevance in today’s marketplace.
Just thinking about it, do they really need these when they already have the Suburban (and variants)? How different are they, really?
To me, this quadruple is nothing more than the new and improved version of GM’s minivans. Poorly differentiated, a bit better executed and as a previous commentator noted, designed to be sold by volume and price, not product.
Steve_S:
When buying vehicle like this you don’t consider performance, you just don’t. A one second difference in 0-60 time is meaningless. I’d gladly give up 2-3 seconds 0-60 to get better gas mileage on my wife’s Odyssey. It would still be fine for merging and I’ve never floored the thing anyway.
I agree that balls-out performance is usually not a primary concern when looking at a minivan, but when looking in the crossover/SUV segment power is important. GM likes to think of the Lambda platform as competing with the likes of the Dodge Durango (with the Hemi) and it’s
bastard cousinbadge engineered sister as well as the Infinity FX and Acura MDX. Despite the fact that mini-van shoppers may cross-shop a Lambda, it shows that GM mistakenly thinks an underpowered front driver can compete with the imports in their perceived segment. Buick is billing this as a luxury segment vehicle which demands a basic level of power (0-60 in 7 seconds would be acceptable) which it does not have.Somewhat off topic but related:
How does a 4700lb CUV fit into Saturn’s “all-euro” branding strategy?
And why is GMC becoming another passenger car brand? These vehicles are giant station wagons. GMC used to be trucks.
to guyincognito: FYI The Enclave comes in front wheel drive OR all-wheel drive.
To all—I challenge everyone to look closely at the Enclave and drive it—then reapprise your comments.
I have seen and driven the Enclave…it is a terrific vehicle.
Also, please refrain from the “badge job” discussion….because the Enclave IS NOT GM badge engineering we have come to hate—it more mirrors what Toyota has done with the Lexus RX (see Highlander) and Honda has done with the Acura MDX (see Honda Pilot)….most consumers will have no idea that the Enclve is a Saturn Outlook cousin other than the actual size of the vehicle…they look very different from the outside…nothing like each other inside.
I don’t think it’s fair to attack the Enclave for sharing a platform with the Acadia/Outlook.
The Enclave has a completely unique exterior and unique positioning, and unique options.
This product seems as differentiated from its platform mates as the xB is from the Blade/Auris/Matrix or the TBAGing TSX is from the Accord.
There seems to be alot of question as to who makes up the market for GM.
A close friend just shopped the enclave against a Q7, a slightly used STS, and a lucerne. While he is GM faithful, he has owned Audi, MB, and many others. He bought the Lucerne in full tilt boogie trim.
As a GenXer, I would love for Buick to go after the Lincoln refugees like myself. Build me a modern retro wildcat with the flavor of a 64 Lincoln four door convertible. Pinky finger variable assist steering, a velvet smooth 87octane northstar efficient V8 (that doesnt eat oil please), and a real chrome hood ornament….I will write the check.
Again, I refer you to Mr. Neidermeyer’s series.
Sheetmetal-based brand/model differentiation ain’t enough.
What’s it gonna take for GM’s defenders– including the people who run the company– to understand this basic point?